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Can I give untreated water to my son?

Dr Anju Seth
Professor of Pediatrics,
LHMC, New Delhi

Q: My son is 31 months old and is perfectly healthy & eats everything. But he still drinks boiled-cooled water. I have tried to change his habit & started giving him regular water. But whenever I stop boiled water, he either catches cold or his stomach gets upset. I have been trying this for the past 6 months but not able to regularise it, since he falls sick every time. How can I make him habituated to drink normal water?

A:It is likely that your regular water is not entirely safe for drinking. While adults have more immunity and are able to drink this without any problem, a young child with relatively less developed immunity is falling sick. Make sure that your drinking water is taken through aquaguard/reverse osmosis kind of water purifiers available these days. Also ensure that other foods he takes are fresh, hygienically prepared and served, and that his nails are cut and hands washed before and after he eats.